So this is it- 2019 is upon us, the year has spun another circle and brings us once again to a new starting place. What will you do with this clean and fresh place?

For this IS it. The beginning of a new year of our lives, a finite period of time we are gifted with. Maybe this is the year to make your dreams come true!

People in the arts- could this be the year where you measure your success deep within your heart and feel truly happy?

Visual artists- will you take a huge leap forward in expressing the creative work you dream of? Attain the skill or ability to paint the perfect painting you know you have within you, the one that thrills you (and hopefully others) to your very core?

Writers- will you reach deep inside to express the novel or poem that speaks to the soul of an audience, edit it to perfection and then publish your first novel?

Composer, dancer, actor, sculptor, will you bring forth your sparkling creation that moves people to tears?

This is it, this is the year for you to make a giant leap! Put in the time, do the work. organize your obligations and time better so that your creative time is there for you. This is a big challenge for all of us, including me!

Then use that creative time better. Work the practical aspects if the Muse is out to lunch that day. Give yourself totally to the amazing experience when the Muse is there.

Set goals, modest or large; visual yourself meeting them. Put positive energy out to the universe, for the world responds well to the positive!

Do your best, honestly, and you will know you have. One step closer to the dream is a huge one, and time is too precious to waste. The world deserves your beauty in these troubled times, so give yourself to it and craft your talent to its maximum.

All it takes is everything.

Happiest, most successful New Year ever to all of you, and I hope for me too.

Vulgar! When this expression first became mainstream in our area I was appalled. A little boy was over our home on a play date with my son, and had just exclaimed that he sucked at basketball. I prissily told him we do NOT use that expression at our house. Ok, he said cheerfully, I stink at basketball.

The term did become very commonly used over the years, and my prudish nature gradually became enured to it.

Recently I began to use it myself. Because sometimes it is so appropriate.

I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much. ~Mother Teresa

Life deals some harsh blows sometimes. Frightening things, bad things, depressing events, losses, failures. We have no say, no control over many such events; our only recourse is prayer and positive attitudes. And maintaining a positive attitude is hard too. So sometimes you just want to say- That sucks!

You can’t run away from trouble. There ain’t no place that far. ~Uncle Remus

We all turn to pressure release outlets at such times; exercise, meditation, faith, or for artists, art expression. If you are an artist you probably drew some mighty sad and angry weirdo doodles as a high school student, right? Because the turbulence of adolescence often made life suck.

As an adult I have often felt the need to express my negative or sad emotions and thoughts in my paintings. Even as I paint out the sorrow, I process my feelings and resolve my future actions. It helps.

A bend in the road is not the end of the road… unless you fail to make the turn. ~Author Unknown.

A problem is a chance for you to do your best. ~Duke Ellington

So if something happens to you that sucks- I am sorry. I offer my support; we have all been there. If something happens to your friend/loved one that sucks- give them your love, your help, and be there to listen. Even when they aren’t talking. If you pray, do so for them, for yourself to have the strength to get through. Pray for the world- it needs it.

And have faith that it will Get Better.

This too shall pass.

Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are. ~Arthur Golden

Long time ago I was a new mother to a wonderful baby girl. It had taken me some time, but I was finally getting the hang of it, starting to feel like I was getting pretty good at the mother thing. Mother’s Day came along for the first time for me as a mother- and no one acknowledged my great feat.

Hubby was working hard just to keep us in our home; he did not even think of helping baby to give me a token gift. His thinking- you’re not my mother. Other family members were far too busy with their own young children. My own mother was busy taking in her own motherly accolades. So I went off to the grocery store to make my weekly food purchases feeling very sad and sorry for myself. At the exit with my full shopping cart stood the store manager. He had a big bouquet of red roses in his arms, and was stopping each woman as she left the store.

Are you a mother?,he asked. My nod gained me a beautiful red rose and a Happy Mother’s Day. Tears poured down my face. And I smiled the whole way to my car.

Mothers greatest reward is the intense love they are granted for their child. This love is of a unique nature- it is passionate and fierce. It aches and fills your heart to bursting. It gives and forgives, and hopes forever.

Mothers work very hard to care for their children. To provide for them and give them opportunities for success. To introduce them to the world of wonder, even as they try to shield them from it, protect them from all harm. They sacrifice their time, their sleep, their down time, their careers, their all for their children. And this goes on for years and years.

Do we mess up? You bet we do. Mothers are human beings, capable of making every mistake there is to make. My mom made mistakes, I did too. But you can count on one thing for sure- the lady is trying her best to be the best mother she can be. So if the love is there, the child will just have to work it out as we all must as adults. So it goes.

This year I bought three bouquets of roses at the local store, and gave them out to all the mothers who came my way. Happy Mother’s day I told each lady, and they all said it back to me.

“Your last names are different, are you sure you’re married? Really?” and , “Could you send us a copy of your marriage license?”

Really?! In this day and age, the credit union my husband and I were trying to open an account with actually asked this. After an unusually long review period. And we with an excellent credit rating and a marriage of many, many years.

All those years ago when I was in college, I decided to keep my last name if I married.When asked about how my future husband might feel about that, my response was that if he didn’t approve, he was probably the wrong man for me to marry. I met the right guy, he said ok, keep your name, and that was that. What we did do was take each others last name as a second middle name. Hence, I was Patricia Carlson, I became Patricia Allingham Carlson.

Are you married? Did you change you last name when you did? Good for you. Great choice for yourself. Did you hyphenate your two names? Great! Did you make up a new name for both to use? Fine! Did you keep your name? It’s all fine.

Why would anyone care? Well they do. Still.

I guess the old school thinking was about possession. I’m talking here of the traditional man/woman married union. As in the one married had become the responsibility of the other. At some point it became a badge of honor as well, as in, “I got the ring, I got the man, I’m now a Mrs. Smith/Jones/Allingham,”. Then there also was the passing along of a family, a clan name, and the inclusion into that clan. Ok. The joining of two families under one single name to become one new family, also fine. Of course, it was usually the man who got to keep his name, the woman who changed hers to his.

As one of three daughters in an extended family with daughters of the sons, no one would be carrying on the family name if they married. I formed my self identity with the name I was born with. Though I married into a fine family with a great last name, that was not my identity. And there was already a matriarch named with my given first name.

My first year of marriage I was asked by my boss- in a nasty way- why I even bothered to marry my partner at all if I was not going to change my name! Why not just live together? As if that is all that marriage entails! If you are married, you know that it means so much more than just changing your name!

So, here in this time, 2016, it is astounding to me that my name choice would be of any interest whatsoever to a financial institution. In fact, being together and filing taxes for so many years together, why would we even need to be legally married at all? But we are- no matter what our names are.

To be perfectly clear- I don’t care how you resolved your names if you married. I don’t care which gender you chose to marry. I respect all choices as being right for different individuals. The main thing is that you united your lives, and that you respect each other and yourselves. Isn’t that about it?

Dog sitting for a vacationing friend I find myself navigating my home in a whole new way. Carefully that is. There are currently four dogs in my house. Two of the pets are large, two small, but all are constantly underfoot. And I mean constantly. If I sit and work a while, I stand to find three of them across any path through the room. I must pick my way carefully over and around the sleeping hulks to get out- and they grumble! But as I leave the room they all spring to their feet to follow me. I have learned to climb the steps to the far side, as they all rush ahead of me in a scramble. Going down the steps is even more hazardous- if I forget them and start down, I have almost been knocked off my feet as they try to run ahead.

In the middle of the family room/studio where I enjoy relaxing and working there sits a huge dog crate. One of my dog visitors must spend the night inside, as well as placed there when I leave my house. If I forget, she forgets how impolite it is to tear and rend anything she deigns to reach. Three rolls of paper towels thus far have met such a fate, the floor resembling a snowstorm.

Her house mate enjoys the challenge of chewing on more selective items; my favorite sofa cushions, a purple plastic bowl I put down with a treat, a very big old dog bone(good boy). Small pieces of purple plastic currently decorate my living room floor.

When one dog hears a noise and barks…they All bark! Bark! Bark! Bark! times four. And four times longer. And there is almost always a noise!

At mealtimes I am still working on an equitable solution for four starving dogs to eat at once. I muddle through, careful as they eat two different food types in four different amounts. Oy!

Each dog has his or her own personality- from bossy to easy going, from sneaky to blundering, from feisty to sneaky. No food can be left near the edges of any surface in reach. One dog is afraid of the dark; I must go outside into the cold night with her to encourage her not to “go” in the house. Additionally they all have varying needs for attention, and one is extremely jealous!

But- sweet they are. Each one gives as much love as they can. Each one tries their best to please me, and figure out what I want from them. And they think my actions and conversation are fascinating- unlike most of the human race, lol. So for this short time I will have the companionship of four dogs, the bulk of a large crate, and I will remember to laugh at their antics,walk carefully over them and on the stairs, give them lots of pats, and tell them all how good they are.

Get and stay grounded. To me this means to keep to the present task- whether shopping for groceries or cleaning out an old drawer full of junk. My tendency to daydream can be a big time waster. Even while taking a walk I need to remember to live in the Now.

2. Get a better schedule- with the holidays here I have been staying up too late, sleeping in too long, and doing a lot of reading. Time to get back to normal( though the time off was nice!)

3. Stephen King- Yes, an on-going goal of mine is to do a book cover or illustration for my favorite author. Free. Just to do a pay back for all the wonderful reading and adventures and places his great imagination have given me. Yoo-hoo Stephen- you out there?

4. Keep up the current energy level- this past year has found me rather driven. As I learn more about marketing art, gain more confidence in my artwork, I have seen more success in my career. Success causes me to paint more, and each painting I do teaches me more about painting.

5. Don’t stop believing ***- we all have low times; the key is to remind myself of this and keep on trying. Getting rejected by a prestigious art show, doing a show with low sales and poor interest happens to many of us.As well as having those days/weeks where the ideas or abilities to paint are MIA. Keep the faith.

6. Stay in touch with the important real life- Must remember to not get so taken up by my plans or obsession to paint that I don’t make the time for my people. And remember to enjoy where I am and what is around me right now. The housework- well that’s another matter.

7. Stop and reflect- what am I doing, where am I going, how am I doing at what I wish to do? Put down the book , tv, and spend some time going over the state of the being. Having some regular restful reflection time needs to be in the mix.

8. Remember to be grateful. Many people help me all the time. I need to remember to thank them. And if some very good events occur in my life, I need to remember to be thankful. Actually I have been very blessed in many ways; gratitude is a very important grace to embrace.

9. Stimulate creative ideas- Winter can be such a dull time of the year. Art exploration requires creative stimulation. I need to look at the art of other artists. Take a hike outside in an interesting place. Go to a museum. Walk around a town street and take photos. Brainstorm and talk with others. Try a new art medium or medium use. Exercise the imagination.

10. Enjoy the ride! Life is what you make of it. Give it your all. Figure out the obstacles, deal as you must, then try to find the fun in what you do. After all, if you are a creative person with a talent at your art form, you have been given a tremendous gift. Use it and have as much fun as you can!

Happy are the painters, for they shall not be lonely. Light and colour, peace and hope, will keep them company to the end of the day.
— Winston Churchill.

A hike in a local park, and an art challenge suggested by an art supplies vendor brought together a watercolor series idea. The hike through the woods and fields of Tamanend Park brought the exercise and peace my body and spirit were craving. The art challenge brought the spark to set my imagination to creating.

When I start a hike outdoors, I am often tense, wound up like a spring from the demands of life. I have trouble turning off my thoughts, running them over and over through frustrating loops. Within a half hour, I am far happier, more relaxed. My eyes and ears open to my surroundings, I see the subtle beauty of light play on trees, and I take photos to record inspirations for artwork. This tree on a hillside had such a quality.

A challenge to use the same image, or subject in four different art approaches felt like a fun way to use it. I enjoy a challenge- it frees me to try new things.

I set up the paper for the paintings. Then I began to sketch the landscape. By the second tree sketch, I was rather bored. It was a tedious start. Then I considered the different approaches I could take.

This approach involves powdered graphite- first wetting the paper with water, wherever you do not want the powder to stick. Powdered graphite comes in a little bottle, and is used to lubricate hinges and such. I tried it out and found it worked fine for this type of art approach.

The powder is washed off with water- in a bucket or hose. It leaves some unique textures.

My structure was set. All that was needed was drying time, then paint.

The colors came together very naturally for this part. Trying to capture the dynamic lines of the image with colors that I felt were suggested by the light, it all flowed for this painting.

The Hill at Tamanend

Darkening for accent, glazing more layers of color for vibrancy, then painting in many small golden branches, it was done.

On to the next one-

This one stared out with just a wet paper with colors painted on. Pretty plain.

First I scrubbed off some of the extra colors in the foreground which felt over powering. The I started on the branches of the tree, trying to show the unusual quality of the light on the branches that day. I used an ever smaller brush to paint the finely articulated smallest branches.

Tweaking and adding detail, I ended up putting this aside for several weeks. I simply did not know how to take it further.

When I run into a wall with a painting, I often turn to experimentation. My thinking here is what do I have to lose? The work was not what I wanted. If I wrecked it, oh well! I mixed up some watery white tempera paint, and got out a toothbrush.

I spattered fine drops of white paint onto the painting. I used my other hand to block off other areas where I did not want the paint to go. A bit here and there, a bit more- my whole hand was white and the painting was done! Now it had the ethereal quality of light I was looking for.

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About the artist

Throughout Patricia's adult life she has been painting and enjoying presenting images of the world as seen and imagined. The paintings you see these blog are frequently textural, suggesting multiple layers of images through time. Ancient scenes, structures, people from long ago, and other realms weave through many of these paintings.

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